2nd Royal Tank Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment (2 RTR) is an armoured regiment
of the British Army
. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment
, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps
. It originally saw action as B Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917.
In 1992, it amalgamated with the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
without change of title.
The Regiment has seen action most recently in Kosovo
, Iraq
and Afghanistan
. After a long period in Fallingbostel, Germany, the regiment moved back to the UK and Aliwal Barracks in Tidworth in July 2007. All four of the Regiment's Sabre Squadrons were deployed in 2006/7 with EGYPT providing the Challenger 2 armoured punch on Op TELIC 9 who were then replaced on TELIC 10 by CYCLOPS with BADGER operating in Warrior
tracked armoured vehicles. FALCON have recently returned from Op HERRICK in Afghanistan where they conducted numerous operations on the new Mastiff
armoured vehicle. As of June 2009 EGYPT are back in Afghanistan operating on the Viking armoured vehicle.
The Regiment had a busy training year with AFV Ranges followed by BATUS
towards the end of the year. On 25 June 2008 at Buckingham Palace
both Regiments were presented with their new Standard by The Queen which included the new Battle Honour of Al Basra 2003
.
Cavalry regiments of the British Army
There are currently nine regular cavalry regiments of the British Army, with two tank regiments provided by the Royal Tank Regiment, traditionally classed alongside the cavalry, for a total of eleven regiments. Of these, five serve as armoured regiments, and five as formation reconnaissance...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
. It originally saw action as B Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917.
In 1992, it amalgamated with the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
3rd Royal Tank Regiment
The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1992. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as C Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917....
without change of title.
The Regiment has seen action most recently in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. After a long period in Fallingbostel, Germany, the regiment moved back to the UK and Aliwal Barracks in Tidworth in July 2007. All four of the Regiment's Sabre Squadrons were deployed in 2006/7 with EGYPT providing the Challenger 2 armoured punch on Op TELIC 9 who were then replaced on TELIC 10 by CYCLOPS with BADGER operating in Warrior
Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
tracked armoured vehicles. FALCON have recently returned from Op HERRICK in Afghanistan where they conducted numerous operations on the new Mastiff
Cougar (vehicle)
The Cougar is an armored fighting vehicle designed to be resistant to anti-vehicle mines and improvised munitions.It is a family of armored vehicles produced by Force Protection Inc, which manufactures ballistic and mine-protected vehicles. The automotives are integrated by Spartan Motors...
armoured vehicle. As of June 2009 EGYPT are back in Afghanistan operating on the Viking armoured vehicle.
The Regiment had a busy training year with AFV Ranges followed by BATUS
BATUS
BATUS may refer to:* BATUS Inc., subsidiary of British American Tobacco* British Army Training Unit Suffield...
towards the end of the year. On 25 June 2008 at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
both Regiments were presented with their new Standard by The Queen which included the new Battle Honour of Al Basra 2003
Battle of Basra (2003)
The Battle of Basra was one of the first battles of the invasion of Iraq. The British 7 Armoured Brigade fought their way into Iraq's second-largest city, Basra, on 6 April coming under constant attack by regulars and Fedayeen. While elements of the Parachute Regiment cleared the 'old quarter' of...
.
External links
- Official site
- 3RTR - Armoured Farmers
- RTR Website
- British Army Locations from 1945 British Army Locations from 1945
- Merseyside RTR (Brian Gills website)